Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-03
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Experimental Investigation in Regard to
Securing Wool at Fort Worth,
FORT WORTH, TEX, June l, 1857,

Experimental Investigation in Regard to
Securing Wool at Fort Worth.
FORT WORTH, Ten, June l, 1857.
To the Editor of the Gazette.
In considering the practicability of start
ing business enterprise, the first ques-
ton that suggests itself is, will it pay?
AS the writer has made some expert
mental Investigations in regard to scour-
| ing wool at Fort Worth, he will submit
| to those interested the following facts
and figures, in answer to the above:
Looking at this project from business
standpoint, we note first, that the flock
masters of Texas have proven to their
satisfaction that the Merino is the breed
of sheep best adapted 10 our grasses and
climate, hence we presume to assert
| fOur-ffths of The 10000, 900 pounds OF
wool shipped annually from Texas is
what is termed in market fine Snd heavy
fine. Fine woods are those estimated to
| shrink 30 to 60 per cent; heavy fine from
| 60 to 70 per cent. Thus it is demOnstra-
| ted that we pay freight on every pound,
Sn embargo of two pounds of foreign
| worthless substances thus we not only pay
commission on our woods sold east, but
also pay freight and commission OF about
four cents per pound on this Shrinkage
matter that proves total loss TO shippers.
The writer two years ago purchased
from Mr.. +. S. EaSley Of this county the
clip from MS flock which is undoubtedly
one of the finest in Texas or out of Texas
as to that matter, the clip running very
even from hYe-eights to three-quarters
blood. At that time one of cur prominent
physicians fOreseeing as an economic
matter OF fact that Texas would have TO
scour her wool and that Fort Worth had
the prerequisite advantage of the
water in every particular adapted
to the process, was furnished one pound
from this clip. The doctor returned the
secured sample next day, white as
middling cotton, entirely free from all
foreign matter with unexpected luster
and strength of the fiber unimpaired. We
paid zoe for this clip and the shrinkage
was 625 per cent, Now let US make cal
Culaions and see if it would have paid
to have secured this wool at home and
estimate the skrinksge st the fsir average
of Texas woods Sc 2.3 per cent.
100 pounds CT this wool secured In
BOstCn'wa5 then worth 20 cents
Cost in Fort Worth, 8oObs, at 20o $50 90
Freight to Boston, commission, etc Co IS on
Leaving for securing l0Opounds... - 10
The above was twelve months growth,
and as it may appear to some that fee
secured Texas is now guo.ed in the east
ern markets at 55@60c, it must be borne
In mind that these prices are on the fall
clip secured and beingEnow thrown on the
market. This class of woods are usually
short and very brsshY ana sell from I2t(r
l5C per pound in Texas.
Some may ask why is it that our water
is superior for this purpose. The an
sWer Is simple. Those who know
anything of wool manufacturing machin- |
cry will admit that it is very complicated, |
and that the fine wool fiber can scarcely |
be seen with the naked eye, and unless |
secured in water that does not detract |
from its strength and plIabiiity, entails |
what is termed "Waste," such as |
is being imported into this coun- |
try from foreign spindles, and causing |
such dissatisfaction among our custom |
officials and wool growers, on account Of !
discriminating duty on the same. Our |
artesian water is superior for several |
reasons: first, coming from the depths |
is absolutely pure and of even tempera-
ture the year round; second, it is free |
thoroughly does the work and leaves the |
luster, strength and pliability of texture
that water elsewhere does not effect.
With the above reasons why wool |
securing at Fort Worth will pay, the last,
but not the least important is the matter
of freight. Woods 10 the grease and dirt |
cannot be too tightly pressed else it |
would cake and solidifv, hence the trans
poTtatlon comes high on account of be-
ing bulky, but secured it can be not only i
pressed but compressed without injury.
Knowing it to be only question of time
before We not only have one, but several
of these plants in. our midst, giving en-
p!oyment to hundreds of hands, and hav-
iag no ak of my own to grind except the
best wishes for our city's prosperity, and
hoping this hastily written communica-
ton may bring to the surface other
and more competent advocates of this
industry, VIM. II. Cats.